Chalk&Paw

Flying Across the World with My Five Dogs – Our Journey from Taiwan to the U.S.

前言

離自己飛來美國已經兩個多月了。終於在新生活穩定下來後，我想寫下一篇屬於我們全家的「跨國回憶錄」。
當初我和先生決定帶著五隻狗狗一起回美國，真的是一項大工程。先不談金錢的部分，光是跑流程、整理文件、確認航班就讓我焦頭爛額。
但支撐我們走下去的，是那份「堅持讓寶貝們平安一起回家」的信念。歷經近 14 小時的飛行 加上 5 小時的車程，我們終於帶著五寶抵達位於 明尼蘇達州 Winona 小鎮 的新家。

It’s been over two months since I arrived in the U.S.
Now that our new life has finally settled, I want to record this unforgettable chapter — our family’s journey across the world.
Bringing five dogs from Taiwan to America was truly a huge project. Forget the cost — just preparing the documents, confirming flight details, and going through all the procedures already gave me countless headaches.
What kept us going was the belief that we must bring our babies home safely.
After nearly 14 hours of flight and 5 more hours of driving, we finally made it to our new home in Winona, Minnesota.

✈️ 飛行路線的選擇

Winona 位在美國中西部，是個華人稀少的寧靜小鎮。
台灣沒有直飛這裡的班機，所以我們以前回美探親通常走「台北 → 西雅圖（約12小時）」再「西雅圖 → 明尼阿波利斯（約3小時）」的航線，最後開車 2 小時到達公婆家。

但這次情況不同，身邊有五隻狗，轉機變數太多。於是我們研究了各種航點、航空公司，最後找到 長榮航空台北直飛芝加哥 的班機。
雖然飛行時間長達 14 小時，但直飛能大幅降低風險。抵達芝加哥後再開車約 5 小時，就能抵達家門口。

Winona is a quiet small town in Minnesota with very few Asian residents.
There are no direct flights from Taiwan, so in the past we usually flew Taipei → Seattle (12 hrs) → Minneapolis (3 hrs), then drove another two hours to reach my in-laws’ home.

But with five dogs, connecting flights meant unpredictable risks.
After comparing many routes, we finally found the perfect option — EVA Air’s direct flight from Taipei to Chicago.
Though the flight took 14 hours, it avoided all transfer issues. From Chicago, we drove another 5 hours to reach home.

🐶 飛行前的文件與準備

由於一次要帶五隻狗，我對所有文件都反覆確認，生怕漏了一項導致狗狗無法登機。
我特地製作了一本 「寵物文件專用夾」，封面設有目錄，方便地勤人員或美國海關查找。每份文件都準備 正本 + 影本各一份，這樣辦理時能快速遞交、節省等待時間。

Since we were traveling with five dogs, I double-checked every single document.
I even made a “Pet Travel Binder” with a clear table of contents for both airline staff and U.S. customs.
Each document had two copies (one original + one photocopy), so we could hand them over immediately without waiting for anyone to make copies.

必備文件清單 / Required Documents for Pet Travel to the U.S.:

1. 🐾 寵物登記 Pet Registration
2. 💉 狂犬病預防注射證明 Rabies Vaccination Certificate
3. 🏥 寵物輸出健康證明 Health Certificate from Licensed Vet
4. 🧾 輸出動物檢疫證明Veterinary Certificate for Exportof Live Animals
5. 🇺🇸 美國 CDC 寵物登記表單 CDC Dog Import Form
6. 🎫 狗狗機票 Pet Airfare Confirmation
7. 🧳 航空籠與水瓶 Pet Crate & Water Bottle

看似簡單的清單，但要重複五次，真的會讓人頭昏眼花！
It looks simple, but imagine repeating this five times! It was honestly overwhelming.

🩺 辦理流程與注意事項

① 寵物登記 & 晶片

Pet Registration & Microchip

帶狗狗到動物醫院掃描晶片即可完成登記，整個過程很快。
不過要特別注意晶片是否仍能被順利讀取，因為若晶片故障或資料無法顯示，登機時可能會被拒絕。

我們家 14 歲的 Cocobean 就遇到這種情況——晶片掃不出來！
試了好幾台讀取機都沒有反應，最後只好重新植入一顆新的晶片，幸好費用不貴，大約 NT$500。
雖然是臨時狀況，但也提醒我在出發前務必要逐一確認每隻狗狗的晶片是否正常。

✳️ 小提醒： 建議出發前 1–2 個月就先帶寵物去動物醫院檢查晶片是否可讀，以免臨時發現問題影響文件申請進度。

---

You can complete pet registration by scanning your dog’s microchip at any veterinary clinic — the process is quick and simple.
However, always make sure the chip can still be successfully read, as a faulty or unregistered chip could cause boarding or customs issues later.

Our 14-year-old Cocobean ran into this exact problem — her chip couldn’t be scanned!
After trying several devices with no luck, we had to re-implant a new one, which thankfully only cost about NT$500.
It was a small hiccup, but a good reminder to check every dog’s chip well in advance.

✳️ Tip: Visit your vet 1–2 months before departure to test all your pets’ microchips — that way you’ll have enough time to replace or update any that can’t be read properly.

② 狂犬病預防針

Rabies Vaccination

出發前必須確認狗狗的狂犬病預防針已施打滿 28 天，否則將不符合登機及入境規定。
即使五寶的疫苗仍在效期內，我們仍選擇在出發前重新補打一輪，以確保文件效期完全覆蓋飛行日期，也讓入境更順利。
這樣做雖然多花一點費用，但能避免在海關被質疑或要求補件的風險。

✳️ 小提醒： 狂犬病疫苗施打後要保存好動物醫院開立的「狂犬病預防注射證明」，上面必須清楚標註晶片號碼、日期與獸醫簽名。

---

The rabies vaccination must be administered at least 28 days before departure — otherwise your pet won’t meet the boarding and import requirements.
Although all five of our dogs still had valid vaccinations, we decided to renew them before flying to ensure the certificates fully covered our travel dates and avoided any potential customs issues.
It cost a bit extra, but it gave us peace of mind knowing everything was perfectly valid.

✳️ Tip: Keep the official rabies vaccination certificate issued by your vet — it should clearly list your pet’s microchip number, vaccination date, and the veterinarian’s signature.

③ 健康證明與檢疫證明

Health & Quarantine Certificates

我們選擇台北的 仁愛動物醫院（經驗豐富、熟悉出口流程）。
健康證明需在出發前 5–7 天內由合格獸醫師開立，確認狗狗身體狀況良好，沒有傳染病或寄生蟲。
取得這份健康證明後，需再攜帶至松山機場的防檢局（動植物檢疫所）換取正式的「輸出動物檢疫證明」，這份文件是狗狗能順利登機的重要憑證之一。

✳️ 小提醒： 防檢局通常只在平日上班時間受理申請，建議提前打電話預約時間，避免臨時人多或遇到公務假期延誤。

仁愛醫院健康證明檢驗費用：

附上我家Cocobean 2次去仁愛動物的費用單明細

---

We chose Ren-Ai Animal Hospital in Taipei, which has extensive experience handling international pet export procedures.
The health certificate must be issued by a licensed veterinarian within 5–7 days before departure, confirming that the pet is healthy and free from infectious diseases or parasites.
Once you obtain this document, bring it to the Bureau of Animal and Plant Inspection at Songshan Airport to exchange it for the official Animal Export Quarantine Certificate, which is required for your pet to board the flight.

✳️ Tip: The inspection office usually only accepts applications during regular weekday hours.
It’s best to call ahead for an appointment to avoid long waits or delays caused by holidays.

④ 檢疫證明Animal Quarantine Certificate

動物檢疫證明需要在起飛前七天內申請。
我們安排在同一天早上到仁愛動物醫院開立健康證明與檢疫證明，下午前往松山機場動植物檢疫所辦理正式文件。

仁愛醫院的獸醫師非常貼心，事先幫我們整理好所有資料並預約好時間，因此整體流程相當順利。
唯一比較花時間的是在松山機場等候輸入資料的部分（可能因為我們有五寶 😅），大約等了兩個多小時才拿到文件。

當天的流程是：
先在櫃檯登記並提交文件，等工作人員核對五寶資料後，會請我們逐一帶狗狗進入檢疫室量體重與比對晶片，確保每隻寶貝與文件一致。
由於長榮航空規定每位旅客最多攜帶兩隻寵物，我們請了一位朋友幫忙協助帶 Oatie 一起飛，因此也準備了他的護照與印章來辦理手續。

出乎意料的是，手續費非常便宜：以「每人 NT$100」計算，我們三人總共只收了 NT$300。

✳️ 小提醒： 若是多隻寵物同行，記得提早預約時間並預留充足等待時段，以免耽誤後續行程。

---

The Animal Quarantine Certificate must be applied for within seven days before departure.
We scheduled both the health certificate and quarantine process on the same day — in the morning at Ren-Ai Animal Hospital, and in the afternoon at the Animal and Plant Quarantine Office at Songshan Airport.

The vet at Ren-Ai kindly helped us prepare all the documents and even made the appointment in advance, so the whole process went smoothly.
The only part that took longer was at the airport, where the staff needed over two hours to input all five dogs’ data — probably because we had so many! 😅

Here’s how the process went:
After registering at the counter and submitting the paperwork, the staff checked each dog’s information. Then we were asked to bring each dog inside to be weighed and have its microchip verified, ensuring that every record matched.

Since EVA Air allows a maximum of two pets per passenger, we asked a friend to help bring Oatie under his name, and prepared his passport and personal seal for the paperwork.

To our surprise, the processing fee was very affordable — NT$100 per person, so for three people we only paid NT$300 total.

✳️ Tip: If you’re traveling with multiple pets, make sure to schedule your appointment early and allow plenty of waiting time at the airport — it can take longer than expected.

⑤ 美國 CDC 登記表單

CDC Dog Import Form

線上填寫非常快速，約 10 分鐘 即可收到回信。
務必完整列印整份 PDF，因為我們當時有兩隻狗因印得不全被海關攔下，好在能用手機信件補證明才放行。

申請表上會需要填寫：

• 主人的基本資料（姓名、地址、聯絡方式）
• 每隻狗的晶片號碼、出生日期、疫苗施打紀錄
• 航班資訊與入境機場
• 狂犬病證明檔案上傳

整體步驟不難，但要注意檔案清晰與資料一致，否則容易被退件。
建議在出發前 2–3 週 就完成線上申請，以免遇到假日或系統延誤。

---

The CDC Dog Import Form can be completed online in about 10 minutes, and you’ll receive a confirmation email shortly after.
Be sure to print the entire PDF confirmation — two of our dogs were stopped at customs because the printouts were incomplete! Thankfully, showing the email on my phone resolved the issue.

You’ll be asked to provide:

• Owner’s personal details (name, address, contact info)
• Each dog’s microchip number, date of birth, and vaccination record
• Flight and arrival airport information
• A clear copy of the rabies vaccination certificate

The process is quite simple, but make sure all documents are clear and consistent with your other paperwork, or your submission might be rejected.
I recommend submitting the form 2–3 weeks before departure in case of weekends or system delays.

💺 機票與航空運輸細節

我們選擇長榮航空直飛芝加哥。
每班最多只接受 5 隻寵物托運，這次剛好被我們包滿 😆。
建議提前打電話給航空公司，提供每隻狗的體重與籠子尺寸確認名額。

長榮客服電話：＋866-2-25011999 (資料來源：長榮航空官網）

We flew EVA Air directly to Chicago — each flight only allows up to 5 pets, so we literally took the last available spots! 😆
Always call the airline ahead with your dogs’ weight and crate dimensions to secure their booking.

費用計算 / Fee Breakdown:

• 每隻寵物（含籠）32kg 內：USD 460 (two charge units)
• 32–45kg：需加價
• 超過45kg：無法托運

One pet crate weighing up to 32kg (dog + crate) costs USD 460 (2 units).
If it exceeds 32kg but under 45kg, there’s an extra charge; above 45kg, it cannot be shipped.

我們家 Latte 本體 21kg，但籠子買太大（100L）又放了床墊，導致超重，只好現場多付兩單位費用，當場有點傻眼💸。
Our Latte weighs only 21kg, but his crate was huge (100L) and had a bed inside, so we went overweight — and had to pay extra on the spot 💸.

🧺 航空籠與裝備 Pet Crates & Accessories

狗狗 Dog	體重 Weight	尺寸 (cm)	容量	價格 Price	備註 Note
Latte 拿鐵	21kg	100×67×75	100L	NT$4,280	加床超重 😅
Cocobean 可可豆	12kg	80×56×59	80L	NT$2,980	晶片重植
Hazelnut 榛果	6.2kg	70×52×48	70L	NT$1,499	—
Cappu 卡布	6kg	60×38×45	60L	免費（妹妹給）	—
Oatie 燕麥	3.9kg	61×45×41.5	61L	NT$1,099	最小但最活潑

📌 籠子注意事項 / Crate Tips:

• 貼上「LIVE ANIMAL」標籤 (Label “LIVE ANIMAL”)
• 用束帶固定門邊與縫隙 (Secure with zip ties)
• 航空公司會再加白繩固定 (Airline adds safety ropes)
• 附上水瓶（仁愛醫院代買，每個150元）(Water bottle: NT$150 each)

最後，經過重重關卡，我們終於抵達美國。踏上新家的那一刻，看著寶貝們奔跑在草地上，享受無牽繩的自由生活，以往所有的辛苦都變得值得。狗狗本就應該自由、無拘無束，我很慶幸自己有能力讓五寶擁有這樣的人生。能用自己的努力照亮他們的世界，是我最大的幸福。

時間：2025. 5.24-6.10 17天

與棉花糖的相遇在決定去金汪汪之前就發生了，主要是看到金汪汪在Po文基隆10糖小可愛待領養，第一眼就相中了棉花糖和彩虹糖，雖然知道家已無空間領養第五隻，主要原因我們明年移民到美國，最多2人一次只能4隻，所以抱著去看看小可愛的心態來當志工。

第一次當志工是在圓山花博市集，當天一早天氣還算晴朗，且很幸運的有機會看到可愛的棉花糖（彩虹糖已經被領養走了），但還是很開心能看到可愛的棉花糖，而這也讓我當想來當志工更帶點期待的心情。雖然當天也有許多可愛的小幼幼，但自己還是有私心鍾情於棉花糖多一點，當然在志工現場我並沒有表現得很明顯，因為當志工的任務是要幫這些可愛的幼幼也找到一個可以愛他們的家。

How I Met Marshmallow

My encounter with Marshmallow actually happened before I even decided to volunteer with Jin-Wang-Wang. I first came across their post about 10 adorable puppies in Keelung looking for forever homes. The moment I saw the photos, Marshmallow and Skittles caught my eye right away.

Although I knew deep down that we had no room to adopt a fifth dog — especially since we’re planning to immigrate to the U.S. next year (and a family of two can only bring four dogs) — I still felt the urge to go meet these cuties in person. So I signed up to volunteer, just with the simple intention of helping out and seeing the pups.

My first volunteering experience was at the Yuanshan Flower Expo Market. That morning, the weather was surprisingly pleasant, and I felt lucky to meet sweet little Marshmallow (by that time, Skittles had already been adopted). I was still thrilled just to see Marshmallow in person — it made me look forward to volunteering even more.

Of course, there were many other adorable puppies at the event, but I’ll admit I had a soft spot for Marshmallow. I didn’t show it outwardly though — as a volunteer, my mission was to help all these little ones find loving homes, not to play favorites.

第二次的志工服務是在一週後，位置改為建國花市而這次也是期待的心去看棉花糖（當然也包括其他幼幼），比上次好的是棉花糖這次在領養現場而且就是我進去陪伴幼幼的志工區！（心裡歡喜）， 當然不能裝得太明顯因此我也和其他幼幼也玩在一起，我記得他們好像叫桃花、甜栗、還有愛兇其他小狗的黑露露，他們也很可愛。想說這次可以更近一點看到棉花糖感覺很歡喜，但發現他怎麼一直拉肚子，重點還有血……過沒多久金汪汪配合的陳醫師到現場發現他中了犬冠狀病毒和梨形毛鞭蟲，心想他好可憐喔…… 就在送養會快結束時我聽到美雪姐（金汪汪創辦人）在跟一位付費中途討論要先請她帶回去照顧，因此我馬上就自告奮勇說我可以中途他！（心裡超開心）

The Second Encounter — And an Unexpected Turn

My second time volunteering came a week later, this time at Jianguo Flower Market. Once again, I went with a heart full of excitement, especially hoping to see Marshmallow again (and of course, all the other pups too).

To my delight, Marshmallow was actually at the adoption event this time — and even better, he was in the volunteer zone where I was assigned to care for the puppies! (My heart did a little happy dance.) Of course, I couldn’t make it too obvious, so I made sure to play with all the puppies equally. I still remember some of their names — Peach Blossom, Sweet Chestnut, and Black Lulu (who had a bit of a habit of picking fights with the others). They were all adorable in their own ways.

Being able to spend more time close to Marshmallow made me so happy… but then I noticed something troubling — he kept having diarrhea, and it looked like there was blood. Not long after, Dr. Chen (the vet Jin-Wang-Wang works with) arrived and confirmed that Marshmallow had contracted canine coronavirus and was also infected with Giardia. My heart broke for the little guy. He looked so fragile.

Toward the end of the adoption event, I overheard Meixue (the founder of Jin-Wang-Wang) talking to a paid foster about taking Marshmallow home for medical care. Without thinking twice, I immediately offered to foster him myself — I just blurted it out! (And inside, I was bursting with joy.)

就這樣可愛的棉花糖就到我家短住起來⋯⋯第一天到家我害怕我家的四隻被他傳染，因此先讓他暫住地下室，好在我家地下室夠大，而晚上則和他一起睡，因為發現他同時還有感冒，類似犬舍咳狀態，乾咳嘔吐但又吐不出來，咳起來有鵝的叫聲（我也是第一次碰到）。為了讓美雪姐認為我是一位合格的寄養家庭，我都有定時拍照回傳、記錄棉花糖的大小便狀況、精神和飲食，當然我自己是非常喜歡他的，只可惜緣分無法留住他。棉花糖超棒，第一天來我家不用教就會定點大小便，就像我家拿鐵一樣，瞬間對他的好感指數又加分了不少。

第二天中途棉花糖發現他咳嗽的狀況加劇，我開始自責是否第一天帶回家中途叫讓他洗澡讓他感冒變嚴重？但第一天帶他回家發現他一直抓癢，且體味蠻重可能在犬舍待著的原因⋯⋯剛好我也要幫我家四寶洗澡，就這樣也讓棉花糖洗個澡。

還好第三天天氣放晴，順勢帶他去看看醫生及公園放風曬曬太陽，好在看醫生結果是他可能吃東西太快導致支氣管有點發炎，吃藥即可，頓時 真是放下一顆大石，因11年前我照顧我家拿鐵，當時也是幼犬的他體質都沒有像棉花糖這麼孱弱，拿鐵他簡直壯如牛，現在即使已11歲了，還是很健壯。

A Temporary Stay That Stole My Heart

And just like that, sweet little Marshmallow came to stay at my house for a while.

On the first day, I was worried about the risk of him infecting my four resident dogs, so I arranged for him to stay in our basement temporarily — thankfully, it’s spacious enough. At night, I slept downstairs with him. That’s when I realized he also had a cold, something like kennel cough. He had dry, hacking coughs that sounded like gagging but with nothing coming out — and the sound was eerily like a goose honking. It was the first time I had ever encountered something like that.

Wanting to prove to Meixue that I could be a responsible foster parent, I made sure to document everything: I sent regular photo updates, kept a record of his urination and bowel movements, his energy levels, and his appetite. Truthfully, I had already grown very fond of him — I just couldn’t help it. Sadly, despite our bond, I knew deep down that our time together would be short-lived.

Marshmallow was amazing. On his very first day at our house, he instinctively knew how to pee and poop in the right spot — no training needed. Just like my Latte when he first arrived! My admiration for Marshmallow grew even more in that moment.

On the second day, his coughing worsened. I began to feel guilty, wondering if giving him a bath that first night had made things worse. But when I brought him home, he had been scratching a lot and had a strong doggy odor — likely from being in the kennel for a while. Since I was bathing my four dogs that day anyway, I bathed him too.

Thankfully, the third day brought sunshine, so I took him to see the vet and let him stretch his legs in the park for some fresh air and sun. The vet said it was probably just a bit of bronchial inflammation from eating too quickly — nothing serious, and he’d be fine with medication. I was so relieved! Eleven years ago, when I raised my own Latte as a puppy, he was never this fragile — in fact, he was tough as a little ox. Even now at age 11, he’s still going strong.

到了第四天，該來的還是來了，美雪姐審核多方申請組在前晚告知這組可以，問我可不可以見見領養人。看了美雪姐給我的資料，心裡是很開心棉花糖終於找到適合他的家庭，離幸福之路就在不遠處，但心裡同時也有點小難過跟棉花糖的緣分是如此的短暫，但⋯⋯我必須學會放手。

第五天，調適好心情還是由衷替棉花糖高興，但棉花糖的咳嗽撞及血便狀況一直沒改善，另外帶去醫院量體重竟然只有2.14kg, 詢問一下同時救援的同胎家庭有媽咪回應竟然已經有的同胎兄弟已經胖到5kg了！（是吃歐若肥嗎？ＸＤ）

之後的幾天，我還發現棉花糖後腳有點站不穩的狀況，詢問一下有可能是生病時營養吸收不良，因此有點營養不良的狀況……看了真心疼，而當晚雖下著小雨，還是立馬出門幫棉花糖買個營養膏，幫他瘦小的身體補充營養。

Learning to Let Go

By the fourth day, the moment I had been dreading finally arrived. Meixue messaged me the night before to let me know that, after reviewing several adoption applications, one had been approved. She asked if I could meet with the potential adopter.

As I read through the information she sent, my heart was full — I was genuinely happy that Marshmallow had found a family who seemed perfect for him. His road to happiness was just around the corner. But at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel a little sad. Our time together had been so short… and now it was almost time to say goodbye.

Still, I reminded myself: this is what fostering is about. I had to learn to let go.

On the fifth day, I had come to terms with it emotionally and was truly, sincerely happy for Marshmallow. But his health issues still lingered — his coughing and bloody diarrhea hadn’t improved. At a follow-up vet visit, we weighed him: only 2.14 kg. That shocked me. Out of curiosity, I reached out to other fosters who had adopted his siblings from the same litter — one pup had already grown to 5 kg! (What were they feeding him — super kibble? 😆)

In the days that followed, I also noticed Marshmallow’s back legs were a bit wobbly. After checking with others, I learned it could be due to malnutrition during his illness — his tiny body simply hadn’t been absorbing enough nutrients. It broke my heart to see him like that.

That evening, even though it was drizzling outside, I didn’t hesitate. I headed out immediately to buy him a tube of nutritional paste — anything to help his frail little body get stronger.

---

中途第十一天，棉花糖的便便終於定型且沒有血便的，但是咳嗽狀況還是有，只是有稍微改善，因此還是持續有給梨形鞭毛蟲和咳嗽藥，心裡想著11年前也是小幼幼的拿鐵身體也沒那麼孱弱啊⋯⋯這個棉花糖到底怎麼了？真的是非常替他擔心

中途第十二天，棉花糖的咳嗽終於好了，且便便形狀也非常漂亮，雖然說馬上就要有新媽媽接手，但我還是想確定他已恢復正常，因此有想著隔天一早去醫院做身體檢查。當天，也是我家摩卡當小天使的2年的忌日，因此有帶棉花糖來狗腳印來看看狗狗，希望明年回美國時能帶一隻黃金或邊境蕾蕾回美國，將對摩卡的愛傳給其他需要愛的狗狗。當天，我無意間看到被退養的黃金Sam, 虛弱的坐在椅子上，瘦巴巴的想說這隻狗應該很老了才是，沒想到上網查一下他的年紀也不過七～八歲，那時剛被我領養的摩卡都沒有長得這麼蒼老啊！到底發生了什麼是讓Sam變成這樣，真是替Sam感到難過。

A Flicker of Recovery — and a Gentle Reminder of Love

On the eleventh day of fostering, Marshmallow’s poop had finally solidified — no more blood, no more watery mess. That alone felt like a huge victory. His cough still lingered, but there was definite improvement. I continued giving him medication for both Giardia and the cough, but deep down I couldn’t help comparing him to Latte, who was also a tiny pup 11 years ago. Latte had never been this frail. What was going on with Marshmallow’s little body? I worried about him constantly.

On the twelfth day, his cough had finally cleared up completely, and his poop was in perfect shape — such a relief! Even though his new mom was scheduled to take over soon, I still wanted to be 100% sure he was fully recovered. I decided I would take him for a full check-up at the vet the next morning.

That day also happened to mark the two-year anniversary of when my beloved Mocha became an angel. I brought Marshmallow with me to Dog’s Footprint (狗腳印), a place that holds deep meaning for us. I found myself silently hoping that next year, when we return to the U.S., we’ll be able to bring a Golden Retriever or a Border Collie mix like Leilei with us — a way to pass on the love I’ll always have for Mocha to another dog in need.

While we were there, I happened to spot a golden retriever named Sam, sitting weakly on a chair. His frail frame and tired eyes made me think he must be very old. But when I checked online, I was shocked to find out he was only seven or eight years old. Mocha didn’t look nearly that worn out when I first adopted her. What on earth had Sam been through to end up like this?

My heart broke for him. Whatever had happened, no dog deserved to be in such a state.

---

中途第十三天，一早棉花糖吃完早餐大完便就拎著他新鮮的大便去診所，因為驗梨形鞭毛蟲需要新鮮的大便才可以，之後醫生幫我們在顯微鏡下觀察是否有蟲蟲，同時也檢測犬小病毒及犬冠狀病度，好家在均已康復歡，我終於不用那麼辛苦將我家那四隻和棉花糖分開了！（之前超怕棉花糖的梨形鞭毛蟲以及犬冠狀病毒傳給我家四隻，雖然他們都有打預防針）

中途第十四天，發現他的無力後腳有比之前好一點，並發現棉花糖可能生病時習慣長期趴著養病，因此後腳忽然站起來會有點無力，就不愛走動，除了看不到我會哭哭到處去找我以及想跟我家四隻玩才會走起來，其他時候他能坐就不會想站，因此天氣好的時候我也會帶上棉花糖，跟我家其他四隻多走動。

Two Weeks In — Healing Begins

On the thirteenth day of fostering, I packed up a fresh sample of Marshmallow’s morning poop right after breakfast and headed to the clinic. To test for Giardia, a fresh stool sample is essential. At the clinic, the vet placed the sample under a microscope to look for any remaining parasites. We also ran tests for both parvovirus and coronavirus — just to be safe.

Thankfully, all the results came back clear. Marshmallow had finally recovered completely!

It was such a relief — not just for him, but also for me. I no longer had to keep my four resident dogs separated from him. I had been so anxious the whole time, worrying that his Giardia or coronavirus might spread to them, even though they were all fully vaccinated.

By the fourteenth day, I noticed some progress in his weak hind legs. He seemed a bit more stable than before. I realized that during his illness, he had likely spent a lot of time lying down to rest, which may have made his back legs a little underused and sluggish. He didn’t like to walk much — unless he couldn’t see me and would cry while searching, or when he wanted to play with my four pups. Otherwise, he’d prefer to sit or lie down whenever possible.

So, whenever the weather was nice, I’d take him out with my pack for some gentle walks — hoping to help him regain strength and confidence, step by step.

中途第十六天，陪伴棉花糖的最後一個晚上，心情很複雜很開心他能找到一個愛他的家但也很難過分離，晚上像中途的這幾天一樣抱著他一起入眠..

第十七天的早上，帶著他和我家四隻散步並合影，雖然卡布和拿鐵都會兇小幼幼棉花糖，但我很感謝我家充滿母愛的榛果和Cocobean 一個陪他玩，一個陪他睡覺。早上11點，棉花糖媽咪如期帶回家，而這也是我第一次中途成功，回家後當然也是大哭一場，但天下沒有不散的宴席，希望曾經出現在我生命中的小可愛棉花糖能夠幸福一生～

Day 16–17: A Bittersweet Goodbye

The sixteenth day marked my last night with Marshmallow.

My heart was filled with a swirl of emotions — I was genuinely happy that he had found a loving forever home, but I couldn’t help the deep sadness that came with saying goodbye. Just like every night over the past two weeks, I held him close as we drifted off to sleep — one last time.

On the morning of the seventeenth day, I took Marshmallow and my four dogs out for a walk together and snapped a few final photos. Although Cappuccino and Latte were their usual grumpy selves toward the little one, I was incredibly grateful for Hazelnut and Cocobean — two sweethearts full of maternal love. Hazelnut kept Marshmallow company during playtime, while Cocobean snuggled with him during naps.

At 11 a.m., Marshmallow’s new mom arrived, right on time, to take him home. And just like that, my very first foster journey had come to a successful end.

As soon as I returned home, I cried — of course I did. But I reminded myself: no goodbyes are forever, and every beginning starts with a farewell. I will always carry Marshmallow in my heart. I truly wish this little bundle of joy who briefly lit up my life nothing but a lifetime of happiness.

DogFostering #RescueDog #FosterJourney #EmotionalGoodbye #VolunteerWithDogs

我們家最愛散步的毛孩，非11歲的拿鐵莫屬！雖然年紀已經邁入熟齡，但他對散步的熱愛，從小時候一路延續到現在，完全沒退燒過。

其實我們在美國有一個大大的後院，未來會帶我們家四隻毛孩一起過去，讓他們能夠自由奔跑、盡情享受陽光和草地🌿☀️。但目前在台灣，礙於都市住宅空間有限，只能每天帶他們到附近的公園散步，變成了我們固定又溫馨的日常儀式。

我們的「都會型散步生活」一天四次，每次15到20分鐘（當然，得看老天爺賞不賞臉不下雨☔）。每次遛拿鐵，我的標準配備是——牽繩、撿便袋、手機和耳機。因為我非常熱愛利用時間，所以我常趁這段散步時間練習法文聽力，邊遛狗邊進步，一舉兩得！🐶🎧🇫🇷

走到公園後，拿鐵就像開啟了偵探模式，一邊東聞西聞、一邊到處做記號。他特別喜歡在草地或樹下「解放」，而且結束後還會很紳士地用後腳踢土，彷彿在幫自己蓋一座「便便小墳墓」💩😂。雖然他已經自帶環保模式，但我還是會乖乖用撿便袋把便便帶回家，畢竟乾淨的環境人人愛嘛～